UVa Wraps Up Exhibition Schedule Saturday

Story Links

CHARLOTTESVILLE – The Virginia men’s soccer team hosts West Virginia in its final preseason exhibition Saturday. Kick-off from Klöckner Stadium is 7 p.m. Live statistics will be available on VirginiaSports.com.

Virginia holds a 5-2-0 all-time advantage in the series with West Virginia. Last year, the Cavaliers traveled to Morgantown, W.Va., for a preseason exhibition contest and came away with a 2-1 victory. Tony Tchani (Norfolk, Va.) and Matt Mitchell (Tariffville, Conn.) had goals for the Cavaliers. Prior to that exhibition, the two teams met in the second round of the 2007 NCAA Tournament and WVU edged UVa, 1-0, in Morgantown.

The Cavaliers have faced George Mason and Old Dominion so far in this preseason. The Patriots came away with a 1-0 overtime victory at Klöckner Stadium on Aug. 21, and the Monarchs won 3-1 in Norfolk, Va., on Aug. 24.

Against ODU, freshman Ahkeel Rodney (Elmont, N.Y.) scored the Cavaliers’ goal. All three goalkeepers on the roster, meanwhile, have each seen action in the preseason contests, with Diego Restrepo (West Palm Beach, Fla.) getting the starting nod against both George Mason and ODU.

The Cavaliers, ranked No. 22 by College Soccer News’ preseason poll, were picked to finish second in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Tchani, the reigning ACC Freshman of the Year, has been named one of the 38 members of the Missouri Athletic Club’s Hermann Trophy Watch List. Tchani was UVa’s leading scorer last year with nine goals and three assists.

Following Saturday night’s match, Virginia travels to the Nike Portland Invitational to open the regular season, facing host Portland on Sept. 4 and Washington on Sept. 6.

Following the Nike Portland Invitational, Virginia returns home to face ACC foe Duke on Sept. 11. Kick-off from Klöckner Stadium is scheduled for 8 p.m., following a Virginia women’s soccer match vs. West Virginia at 6 p.m.